David Cameron, the Tory leader, said today that politicians could learn from X Factor supremo Simon Cowell, but he stopped short of offering the pop impresario a job in any future Conservative government.

Asked if there would be a place for Cowell in a Tory administration, Cameron told talkSPORT radio: "I'm a great believer you should go beyond the Westminster fish tank.

"You do need to get outside Westminster and find talented people. I have met Simon Cowell a couple of times. He's incredibly talented.

"There probably is something we can learn in politics [from him]."

Cameron's comments follow news that Cowell is thinking of producing a "political X Factor", in which hot topics are debated and voted on by the British public.

Cowell revealed earlier this week that he had an idea for a TV programme in which members of the public would debate key issues such as the British presence in Afghanistan and knife crime. He suggested a red phone might be on the stage allowing No 10 to call in to explain its position.

He added: "If you went around the country, it would be five or six big issues which I think are really, really important in people's lives. So I think there could be some kind of referendum-type TV show where you can speak on both sides and then open it up to the public to get an instant poll."

He went on: "It would be a good way for me to get involved in politics … It would be controversial. The public would eventually make the decision."

He said it would debate topics such as the UK presence in Afghanistan. "If you actually asked most people in the country why are we there, I couldn't even tell you ... I knew why we were in the Falklands; I don't know why we're over there.

"So when I see all these people coming back dead, I think we have a right to have a say in something like that. Or knife crime; I don't think that the justice system is working properly at the moment."

Cowell said it was a programme that he would like to watch, but he did not envisage anchoring it himself.